The New York Times reports that Moonves, when talking to advertisers last week, said that the competition for viewers age 18 to 49 was so close that if you subtract the ratings of some key sports events from Fox’s ratings last year, CBS would have been able to beat Fox.

Rivera uncharacteristically blew a ninth-inning lead in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox, and when the Red Sox later won that game, they avoided a four-game sweep. Rivera also lost an eighth-inning lead in Game 5 of that playoff, eventually won by the Red Sox in seven games on their way to their first World Series championship in more than 80 years.

“Mariano Rivera cost us more money than the Yankees,” Moonves told the advertisers, according to the Times.